Victims identified in Lower Providence water tower accident

LOWER PROVIDENCE — Officials have identified the victims of the water tower accident that left one man dead and another man injured on Wednesday afternoon in Lower Providence.

Jason Schmidt, 31, of Jacobus, Pa. was pronounced dead at the scene following the accident and Miguel Martinez, 38, of Pennsgrove, N.J. was rescued by crews after dangling inside the tower for more than three hours.

The accident occurred just after 11 a.m. on Wednesday morning when an apparent “industrial equipment malfunction” caused Schmidt to fall approximately 60 feet to the bottom of the empty water tank and left Martinez stranded from the same height, supported only by the safety harness that he had been wearing.

Following the accident, a third worker, who had been working at the bottom of the tank and was not injured in the accident, called for help.

Once on the scene, rescue crews from around the area spent nearly three hours formulating and enacting a plan to rescue Martinez from within the tower, ultimately freeing the man from the structure at approximately 2:20 p.m.

Once released, Martinez was taken to Paoli Hospital for treatment of unknown injuries.

The three men had been employed by Corrosion Control Corp., based out of Pedricktown, N.J., and were performing maintenance on the inside of the tower, which is owned by the Audubon Water Company.